them essentially through a concrete and external act。
Blood…relationship therefore supplements the abstract natural process by adding to it the process
of consciousness； by interrupting the work of nature； and rescuing the blood…relation from
destruction； or better； because destruction； the passing into mere being； is necessary； it takes upon
itself the act of destruction。
Through this it comes about that the universal being； the sphere of death； is also something which
has returned into itself； something self…existent； the powerless bare particular unity is raised to
universal individuality。 The dead individual； by his having detached and liberated his being from his
action or his negative unity； is an empty particular； merely existing passively for some other； at the
mercy of every lower irrational organic agency； and the ＇chemical； physical＇ forces of abstract
material elements； both of which are now stronger than himself； the former on account of the life
which they have； the latter on account of their negative nature。（1） he family keeps away from the
dead this dishonouring of him by the desires of unconscious organic agencies and by abstract
elements； puts its own action in place of theirs； and weds the relative to the bosom of the earth； the
elemental individuality that passes not away。 Thereby the family makes the dead a member of a
community（2） which prevails over and holds under control the powers of the particular material
elements and the lower living creatures； which sought to have their way with the dead and destroy
him。
（c） The Claims of the Individual
This last duty thus accomplishes the complete Divine Law； or constitutes the positive ethical act
towards the given individual。 Every other relation towards him which does not remain at the level
of love； but is ethical； belongs to human law； and has the negative significance of lifting the
individual above the confinement within the natural community to which he belongs as a concrete
individual。 But； now； though human right has for its content and power the actual ethical substance
consciously aware of itself； the entire nation； while divine right and law derive theirs from the
particular individual who is beyond the actual； yet he is still not without power。 His power lies in
the abstract pure universal； the elemental individual； which seizes upon the individuality that cuts
itself loose from the element and constitutes the self…conscious reality of the nation； and draws it
back into the pure abstraction which is its essential nature： draws it back just as that essence is its
ultimate ground and source。 How this power is made explicit in the nation itself will come out more
fully as we proceed。
2。 The Process involved in these Two Laws
Now in the one law as in the other there are differences and stages。 For since these laws involve
the element of consciousness in both cases； distinction is developed within themselves： and this is
just what constitutes the peculiar process of their life。 The consideration of these differences brings
out the way they operate； and the kind of self…consciousness at work in both the universal essential
principles （Wesen） of the ethical world； as also their connexion and transition into one another。
（a） Government as Positive Power； War as Negative
The community； the upper law whose validity is open to the light of day； has its concrete vitality in
Government； for in government it is an individual whole。 Government is concrete actual spirit
reflected into itself； the self pure and simple of the entire ethical substance。 This simple force
allows； indeed； the community to unfold and expand into its component members； and to give
each part subsistence and self…existence of its own （Fürsichseyn）。 Spirit finds in this way its
realization or its objective existence； and the family is the medium in which this realization takes
effect。 But spirit is at the same time the force of the whole； combining these parts again within the
unity which negates them； giving them the feeling of their want of independence； and keeping them
aware that their life only lies in the whole。 The community may thus； on the one hand； organize
itself into the systems of property and of personal independence； of personal right and right in
things； and； on the other hand； articulate the various ways of working for what in the first instance
are particular endsthose of gain and enjoymentinto their own special guilds and associations；
and may thus make them independent。 The spirit of universal assemblage and association is the
single and simple principle； and the negative essential factor at work in the segregation and
isolation of these systems。 In order not to let them get rooted and settled in this isolation and thus
break up the whole into fragments and let the common spirit evaporate； government has from time
to time to shake them to the very centre by War。 By this means it confounds the order that has
been established and arranged； and violates their right to independence； while the individuals （who；
being absorbed therein； get adrift from the whole； striving after inviolable self…existence
（Fürsichseyn） and personal security）； are made； by the task thus imposed on them by
government； to feel the power of their lord and master； death。 By thus breaking up the form of
fixed stability； spirit guards the ethical order from sinking into merely natural existence； preserves
the self of which it is conscious； and raises that self to the level of freedom and its own powers。
The negative essential being shows itself to be the might proper of the community and the force it
has for self…maintenance。 The community therefore finds the true principle and corroboration of its
power in the inner nature of divine law； and in the kingdom of the nether world。
The divine law which holds sway in the family has also on its side distinctions within itself； the
relations among which make up the living process of its realization。 Amongst the three
relationships； however； of husband and wife； parents and children； brothers and sisters； the
relationship of husband and wife is to begin with the primary and immediate form in which one
consciousness recognizes itself in another； and in which each knows that reciprocal recognition。
Being natural self…knowledge； knowledge of self on the basis of nature and not on that of ethical
life； it merely represents and typifies in a figure the life of spirit； and is not spirit itself actually
realized。 Figurative representation； however； has its reality in an other than it is。 This relationship；
therefore； finds itself realized not in itself as such； but in the childan other； in whose coming into
being that relationship consists； and with which it passes away。 And this change from one
generation onwards to another is permanent in and as the life of a nation。
The reverent devotion （Piet？t） of husband and wife towards one another is thus mixed up with a
natural relation and with feeling； and their relationship is not inherently self…complete； similarly； too；
the second relationship； the reverent devotion of parents and children to one another。 The
devotion of parents towards their children is affected with emotion just by their being consciously
realized in what is external to themselves （viz。 the children）； and by their seeing them become
something on their own account without this returning to the parents； independent existence on the
part of the children remains a foreign reality； a reality all their own。 The devotion of children；again；
towards their parents is conversely affected by their coming into being from； or having their
essential nature in； what is external to themselves （viz。 the parents） and passes away； and by their
attaining independent existence and a self…consciousness of their own solely through separation
from the source whence they camea separation in which the spring gets exhausted。
Both these relationships are constituted by and hold within the transience and the dissimilarity of
the two sides； which are assigned to them。
（b） The Ethical Relation od Man and Woman as Brother and Sister
An unmixed intransitive form of relationship； however； holds between brother and sister。 They are
the same blood； which； however； in them has entered into a condition of stable equilibrium。 They
therefore stand in no such natural relation as husband and wife； they do not desire one another；
nor have they given to one another； nor received from one another； this independence of individual
being； they are free individualities with respect to each other。 The feminine element； therefore； in
the form of the sister； premonizes and foreshadows most completely the nature of ethical life
（sittliches Wesen）。 She does not become conscious of it； and does not actualize it； because the
law of the family is her inherent implicit inward nature； which does not lie open to the daylight of
consciousness； but remains inner feeling and the divine element exempt from actuality。 The
feminine life is attached to these household divinities （Penates）； and sees in them both her
universal substance； and her particular individuality； yet so views them that this relation of her
individuality to them is at the same time not the natural one of pleasure。
As a daughter； the woman must now see her parents pass away with natural emotion and yet with
ethical resignation； for it is only at the cost of this condition that she can come to that individual
existence of which she is capable。 She thus cannot see her independent existence positively
attained in her relation to her parents。 The relationships of mother and wife； however； are
individualized partly in the form of something natural； which brings pleasure； partly in the form of
something negative； which finds simply its own evanescence in those relationships； partly again the
individualization is just on that account something contingent which can be replaced by an other
particular individuality。 In a household of the ethical kind； a woman's relationships are not based
on a reference to this particular husband； this particular child but to a husba